There are two things, two not especially 'magical' things, that help me when times are tough.The first is rest. My primary gut response to times of intense stress, physical and/or emotional, is to sleep. I become borderline narcoleptic. I can barely keep my eyes open. This happens when I've been processing emotional issues for maybe a little too long; it also happens to me during childbirth. When my first child was born, the midwife had to shake me and kept shouting at me, "Wake up! Hold … [Read more...]

When the going gets tough, and it often does when one attempts 'advanced living,' what do you do?After my weekend in Canada, my week was a rough come down. My period started; I was physically exhausted and sleep deprived. My son turned five and we threw a larger than usual birthday party. My in-laws came to town. And my husband and I took some risks while at the same time excavating some intense relationship stuff. Did I reach out to friends? Did I fall back on the foundations of my … [Read more...]

I went to Canada, into the woods, and thought I was going on vacation. How wrong I was.I expected fun, laughter, and trees. I got all of that. Fun was had, in a variety of forms. There was laughter. The grey mists against the deep greens of the trees and floating on the surface of the lake fed the Alaskan part of my soul. The camp site was not as spectacular as I'd hoped and the food wasn't very good. But it was the surprises...... Oh, the surprises.The first great surprise was mead. … [Read more...]

I have many people in my life who are passionate, possibly even obsessive, about their work or their hobbies or their loves. I fall into that camp, as well. It's important to devote the necessary time, energy, focus and love toward any thing we want to excel at - and I don't mean excel in a sense that there is something to 'achieve.' A thriving relationship takes time, effort, and focus. Finishing a challenging and beautiful book might take those things too.But to balance and refuel passion … [Read more...]

Today I am leaving on vacation. I am going to Canada. Without my family. It's been nearly a year since I did something longer than 4 hours without them. I am ready to recharge my batteries.I'm headed to the Gathering For Life On Earth. Pretty cheesy name, but so far, I've found the people on the FB group friendly and the list of activities enticing. Plus, it's only an hour or so outside of Vancouver, BC, so it is guaranteed to be beautiful. It's been a decade since I've been to Canada. I … [Read more...]

Last night I was chanting Om Namah Shivaya. My son, who will be 5 at the end of the month, was listening."Mama, do some chants for Kali," he said."I'm chanting to Shiva right now," I answered. "We can do some chants for Kali tomorrow."With such conviction he said to me, "Shiva and Kali are the same, Mama. Shiva is just a nickname for her."***There's something to think about. … [Read more...]

I like this one. Probably because I'm already good at it. Probably because this one is in enlightened self-interest.This Maxim to me is one of the foundations of community building. Now that I have children I can see the needs and benefits of doing a favor for a friend (or neighbor) even more than before! Thriving in this world takes a group effort. While I believe we have to take responsibility for our own actions, we can only thrive (and by that I mean more than just get by) when we work … [Read more...]